Editing FANGS: Skill Pool

[[Category:FANGS]]
[[Category:Game System]]
[[Category:Fantasy]]
[[Category:Character Creation]]
[[Category:Skills]]
{{Template:FANGSHeader}}

==Skill Pool==

Any Character Points left after allocation of Characteristics, Advantages and Disadvantages fall into your characters Skill Pool. Your character can draw from the Skill Pool to increase ability in his basic skills or even create new skills. 

==Basic Skills==

Every character knows a number of basic skills, at no cost to your character's skill pool. These skills were learned as play during childhood and polished during adolescence. The basic skills are: Climb, Fist, First Aid, Hide, Jump, Kick, Knife, Local Lore, Perception, Persuasion, Run, Throw, Sneak, Swimming and Wrestle. 

Each character has different ability in each skill, depending on his initial Characteristics. Each Characteristic can add, or subtract from the characters starting ability. Any fractions are rounded up to the nearest whole number. 

<table border=1 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=3>
<tr>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Skill'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Starting Value'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Average'''</td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Climb </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( AGx2 + STx2 - SZ ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Fist </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( ST + AG + SZ ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">First Aid </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( INx2 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Hide </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( AGx4 - SZx2 - PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">2 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Jump </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( AGx2 + STx2 - SZ ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Kick </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( ST + AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Knife </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( ST + AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Local Lore </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= IN </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">10 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Perception </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( IN + PW + CO ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Persuasion </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( IN + PW + AP ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Run </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( AGx2 + STx2 - SZ ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Throw </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( ST + AGx2 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Sneak </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( AGx4 - SZx2 - PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">2 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Swim </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( ST + AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Wrestle </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( ST + AG + SZ ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr></table>

==Cultural Skills==

Depending on the culture the Character comes from, or the game setting, the GM may give a character a number of additional basic skills at no cost to the skill pool. 

For instance, in a medieval/fantasy setting, characters might start with: 

<table border=1 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=3>
<tr>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Skill'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Starting Value'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Average'''</td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Craft (Type) </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( IN + AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Ride Horse </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( AG + PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">1H Melee Weapon </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( ST + AG + SZ ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Shield Parry </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( ST + AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Short Bow </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">2 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Survival, Woods </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( IN + PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr></table>

In a contemporary setting characters might have instead: 

<table border=1 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=3>
<tr>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Skill'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Starting Value'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Average'''</td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Drive Car </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( IN + AG + PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Literacy </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( INx3 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Mechanic </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( IN + AG ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Pistol </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( AGx2 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Streetwise </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( IN + PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">4 </td></tr></table>

In a space setting characters might start with: 

<table border=1 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=3>
<tr>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Skill'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Starting Value'''</td>
<td style="background:#9CC;">'''Average'''</td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Literacy </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( INx3 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Computer Ops </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( INx2 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Free Fall </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( AG + CO ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFC;">Stunner </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">= ( AGx2 ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:#FFC;">4 </td></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:FFF;">Pilot Aircar </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">= ( IN + AG + PW ) / 5 </td>
<td style="background:FFF;">6 </td></tr></table>

The cultural skill set that a character receives is entirely up to the GM, but typically is 24 points of skills for an average (10) character, divided among a professional skill (such as Craft, Mechanic, or Computer Ops,) a weapon skill (1H Melee Weapon/Shield Parry/Bow, Pistol, Stunner,) an environment oriented skill (Survival, Streetwise, Free Fall,) a transportation skill (Ride Horse, Drive Car, Pilot Car) and, if appropriate, Literacy. 

==Basic Skill Descriptions==

These descriptions depend on the description of how Skills work that follows. Readers should familiarize themselves with the basic rules for Skill Use before studying these descriptions. 

For many of these Skills, there is no need to roll them under normal circumstances. Climbing an easy slope does not need a roll, jumping over a small ditch does not need a roll. Some Skills, like Knife and First Aid, always need a roll. 

'''Climb''' -- This is the Skill of finding handholds and footholds in a vertical surface and ascending or descending it. Normal progress is 1 pace per combat turn. Equipment such as pitons and ropes and boot spikes can increase the Skill number. One can never Take 20 with this Skill. There is always the chance of falling. A character engaged in combat while Climbing cannot move and fight. His fighting abilities (attack, parry, defend) can be no higher than his Climb Skill. The GM may rule that various weapons are impossible to use while climbing the particular surface. 

'''Fist''' -- This is the Skill of fighting with bare hands in combat. This Skill is used for both attack and defense. See the Combat rules for the effects of bare handed fighting. Damage done with this attack is equal to the character's Damage Modifier. 

'''First Aid''' -- While this name is relatively modern, the skill dates back to the first primitive hunters who thought that they might be able to relieve the suffering of a tribe member. 

This deals with stabilizing traumatic wounds. The Skill takes at least one full combat round to accomplish, and the GM may rule that the severity of the wound calls for more time. The Skill user must have equipment handy, though this can be improvised, such as tearing up a tunic for bandages/tourniquets. Except under extreme circumstances, this skill does not replace Health Points, it just stops the victim from losing more. 

'''Hide''' -- This is the skill of not being seen, and it includes concealment, camouflage, and smoke and mirrors. It is generally a Resistance roll to a Perception roll, though things could go the other way depending on the circumstances. 

This Skill is used when the Hiding person/object is not moving. Avoiding notice while moving is Sneak. See below. 

'''Jump''' -- Anyone can make a horizontal running jump over a gap equal to the characters STR+5 - SIZ. A character can also jump half that distance flat-rooted, or vertically with a running jump. No roll is necessary unless the Jumper is surprised by the necessity to make the jump. Any wider gap calls for a roll. The Skill is reduced by 1 for every pace in excess of the above amount. 

Example Gru has a STR of 15+5-SIZ of 11 = Jump distance of 9. He has to jump over a 12 pace wide cleft in the glacier. Coincidentally, his Jump Skill is 9, so he needs to roll a 14 or more to make the roll. (12-9 = 3, 9 - 3 = 6 + 14 = 20). 

Jump can also be used to subtract from the damage from falling. If falling, every point the character's Jump roll is made by is subtracted from the damage done. 

Example: Gru missed the Jump roll above and is now falling down a 10 pace deep cleft. His player makes another Jump roll and this time rolls the 14 he needed earlier. Added to his normal roll of 9 equals 23. The GM rolls 1d6 for the damage from the 10 pace fall and gets four, which is what Gru gets to subtract (23-19 = 4). So Gru says &quot;Oof,&quot; picks himself up, dusts himself off, and looks for someplace to use his Climb Skill to get out of the cleft. 

Jump can often be used when something like acrobatic maneuvers are necessary. 

'''Kick''' -- This is attacking with the foot. Since a kick generally has more power behind it than a fist, the damage done is the usual Damage Modifier plus 2. However, a Kicker cannot move at all while using this maneuver and can only Parry or Dodge, not both. The Fist Skill above is used for Parrying unless the character actually has a shield or weapon to parry with. 

'''Knife''' -- This is the skill of using the knife in combat (or to do a really good job of carving roasts). The same Skill is used for Attack and Parry. 

'''Local Lore''' -- This is general knowledge of the local area and local bases of knowledge. It starts the same as an Idea Roll, but can be improved like any Skill. There are also two other forms of Lore Skill. 

'''Foreign Lore''' -- This is general knowledge of surrounding lands and peoples, often gained through traveler's tales and suspect news sources. The formula is (IN + PW)/5, modelling the luck one must have to be listening to the right sources for foreign news. In more advanced societies, Local Lore and Foreign Lore are the same, the boundaries just change. In a modern society, Local Lore is knowledge about the Unites States (for an American) in general, Foreign Lore is about the customs and laws and geography of lands across the sea. In a space-going society, the Foreign Lore deals with things beyond &quot;Known Space&quot;, including races not normally interacted with, etc. 

'''Special Lore''' -- This is specific knowledge of one type of learning, such as physical science or magic theory or rocket engineering. This has to be chosen as a New Cultural Skill, see rules further along. Basic ability, once the Skill is bought, is IN/3. 

'''Perception''' -- This is the Skill of finding what you are looking for, seeing what others do not want you to see, and noticing things that normally would not be noticed. It depends on Intelligence (IN) to realize that the item should be looked at, Power (PW) for being lucky enough to notice it, and Constitution (CO) for having the healthy eyesight, hearing, taste, smell, or whatever needed to notice the situation. 

Generally this Skill is used with Skills like Hide and Sneak Resisting the Skill. In such cases, the Perception user has to exceed the successful Hide or Sneak rolls by 1 to spot them. Of course, a successful Perception user sees unscuccessful Hide and Sneak users. 

If the user is trying to simply see something concealed, or notice something that might or might not be seen (such as a rider on the horizon). a simple Perception roll is all that is necessary unless the GM adds modifiers for clever concealment or atmospheric conditions. 

Many times the GM should make the Perception roll, concealing the result, so the Player doesn't know whether his character saw anything or not. See GMing Advice. 

'''Persuasion''' -- This Skill encompasses Conversation, Oratory, Bargaining, Fast Talk, Seduction, and Interrogation. It is the Skill of getting what you want out of someone by talking to them. It can also involve other methods of &quot;persuasion,&quot; like torture, threats, and physical intimidation. 

In general, Player Characters can use this skill against NPCs but NPCs cannot use it against players. Exceptions include using the Skill to determine how long the PC can last before he spills his guts while being tortured, or bargaining for goods with a merchant. It can also be used as a benchmark when an NPC is trying to flimflam the player characters and the players know what is happening, even if their characters don't. 

'''Run''' -- This Skill, like Swimming, Driving, Piloting and Riding, and even Climbing, is not necessary to roll under normal circumstances. This is used when the character is trying to both Run and do something else, or when determination of comparative skill in running is necessary. 

If the Runner is attacked, he cannot normally fight or dodge or parry unless he stops running. See the Combat rules for more details. 

If a race needs to be decided, or a pursuit resolved, all the participants roll their Run Skill. Those who simply succeed maintain the same relative distance with the others that they had before. Those who fail drop a pace behind. Those who Fumble fall 5 paces behind. Those who Special gain a pace. Those who Critical, gain 5 paces. See the Combat chapter for explanation of these terms. 

Run can also be used to determine whether a character can increase his movement. For every 2 points one makes a Run roll by, the character can run an additional pace. Round the roll up, so that a roll that just makes a 20 still gets 1 extra pace of distance. This can only be used for a full move, a retreat, or a charge move. See the Combat chapter for explanations of these terms.

'''Throw''' -- This is the Skill of throwing things with one or two hands that are easy to throw. It is the Starting Skill for using thrown weapons, but those must be increased on an individual basis. See Increasing Skills. 

Example: Gru has a Throw of 8. If he wants to be able to improve his skill with throwing dagger, he must increase that Skill. His Skill with Throw Rock remains at 8. 

'''Sneak''' -- This is the Skill of moving unseen and silent. It is generally a Resistance roll to Perception, but this situation can be reversed, as when infiltrating a stronghold. The Sneaker's Sneak is the Skill facing the Resistance of the Guard's Perception. 

'''Swim''' -- Like Run and the other movement skills, this doesn't need to be rolled for unless the user is in extreme circumstances or, in this case, wants to make some progress. Anyone can float and tread water; making progress (usually 1 pace per combat round) calls for a roll. Like Climbing, a roll must be made to make any progress. Fumbles can result in drowning. Swimming is also used for fighting in water if the Swimming roll is less than the combat skills of the fighter, getting out of armor (each point of armor reduces the Swimming roll by 1), and pursuing someone in the water. 

'''Wrestle''' -- This is grappling with someone to immobilize them and perhaps choke them or break a bone. The Skill is used to both Attack and Parry other Wrestlers. This is described in more detail under Hand-to-Hand combat in the Combat Section. 

==Cultural Skills Descriptions==

The following Skills are specific to some culture or era. If taken by someone from the wrong era, they cost points from the Skill Pool. And of course Skills cannot be taken from a future era. Thus, someone from a space setting might pay out of his Skill Pool to take Ride Horse as a Skill. The Medieval character cannot take Computer Ops... 

'''Craft (Type)''' -- This is a professional skill that the character can perform at Journeyman status. The character may not actually be good enough to be a journeyman (or might be of Master quality, for that matter), but journeyman is his social status with the skill and determines what kind of recompense he can expect for working at the craft. Sample crafts include Blacksmith, Swordsmith, Tailor, Weaver, Cooper, Brewer, etc. 

'''Ride Horse''' -- Depending on the actual world involved, this might be some other riding animal. If there is a variety of possible riding animals, pick one. Like other movement skills, such as Run, this Skill comes into play when the character is in extremis. Any combat skill higher than the Riding Skill is reduced to the level of the Riding Skill when in combat on animal-back. Unlike self-propelled movement skills, the character can move and fight while using this skill, but ability in fighting is limited to the Riding Skill. 

Like Running, Riding is often used in Racing and Pursuit situations. 

'''1H Melee Weapon''' -- This attack skill can be exchanged for 2H Melee Weapon as long as the following Shield Parry is exchanged for 2H Weapon Parry with the same weapon. Only one weapon can be chosen for this Skill. Any other weapons have to be paid for from the Skill Pool or picked up later in the game. 

'''Shield Parry''' -- This can actually be Weapon Parry, and applied to a two handed weapon, an offhand parrying weapon, or even a single handed weapon also used for Attacking. In the first and last instances, it must the same weapon as picked for Weapon Attack. 

'''Short Bow''' -- This can also be Sling rather than short bow. It is the Skill of using a domestic ranged weapon used as much for hunting as warfare. Only members of cultures okayed by the GM can take Longbow or crossbow for this Skill. 

'''Survival, Woods''' -- Depending on the culture, Survival Mountains or Survival Desert or Survival Fishing Culture can be substituted for this Skill. Essentially the ability to find food, find direction, and find shelter in the wilderness named. Things like tracking game and building simple shelters are part of the skill. 

'''Drive Car''' -- Modern day equivalent of Ride Horse. Some other civilian vehicle or civilian aircraft or civilian watercraft can be taken instead. Used for desperate maneuvers, racing, and pursuit. 

'''Literacy''' -- In modern and future games, this is mostly for getting the meaning out of obtuse language, vast mounds of research, and/or archaic forms of the language. Anyone can be expected to read the newspaper/faqscreen comics. 

For pre-modern games, this skill can be assumed to be present for those who come from educated backgrounds, such as wizards, clergy, and educated nobles, plus any craftsmen of the clerk or scribe type. For others, it is an extra skill and must be paid for as such.

This Skill is also used to test whether the character is familiar with common literary characters and situations. Want to know how well you know Romeo and Juliet? Check the Literacy skill. Not just the ability to read, but the fact of having read. This also applies to illiterate characters who might have a very good knowledge of the hero legends of his people. In any case the skill has to be bought as an extra skill in a non-literate culture.

'''Mechanic''' -- Like Craft, this could instead be machinist, or electronics technician, or photocopier repairman. Or it could be a profession like Journalist or technical writer. It's a profession that someone could be expected to make a reasonable living off of. 

'''Pistol''' -- This could have rifle or shotgun substituted. Essentially a ranged weapon attack skill. The character could take archer as an alternate. 

'''Streetwise''' -- Survival in the wilderness of the modern city's mean streets. The character could also take one of the previous era's survival skills. Streetwise lets you find the people you need, find where jobs are to be found, and find where shelter can be found in the city. The GM may limit this to one city, or to the cities of one country or climatic zone or ethnicity. 

'''Computer Ops''' -- Any futuristic setting that includes computers has computers that are no more complicated to use than opening a book. This Skill has to do with programming computers and fixing them. It does not include Hacking, which would be a special skill that has to be paid for. 

'''Free Fall''' -- This is the skill of moving and working effectively in Free Fall. Like other Personal Movement Skills like Swimming, combatants in Free Fall have to use Free Fall for combat skills if their normal combat skills are better than their Free Fall. Because of the unrestricted nature of Free Fall, a character can move and fight using Free Fall. 

'''Stunner''' -- Use of a simple futuristic stunning weapon. A GM may allow substitution of a blaster, hand-held laser, or old-fashioned slugthrower. 

'''Pilot Aircar''' -- Skill of piloting a hovercraft or contragravity or ducted jet vehicle. Similar to Driving, Running, and Riding, it is used for extreme circumstances, racing, and pursuit. 

==Increasing Initial Skills==

You may draw from your characters' Skill Pool to increase your character's ability with a skill. 

To increase a basic or cultural skill your character already has costs 1 point from the Skill Pool for each 1 point increase in ability. 

For example, Gru is very disappointed with his First Aid skill of only 3, so he puts 4 points into this skill. This raises the skill to a more reasonable skill of 7. 

==Other Initial Skills==

In addition to any basic and cultural skills, you can draw from your characters Skill Pool to learn a new skill. 

'''New Cultural Skills''' -- To increase a skill that your character does not have, but would be considered a common cultural skill, costs 2 points from the Skill Pool for each 1 point increase. The Skill starts at an appropriate formula, based on those already in use. One point of the Skill must be paid for before the character has any ability with it at all. Since this is NOT a skill the character has grown up with, the initial skill is -2 (minimum of one) from the calculated ability. 

As an example, Gru covets the Sword skill, but he already is using a Mace as his primary cultural 1H Melee Weapon. To learn the additional skill of Sword he must expend 2 character points for the use of the skill. This would give him 11 (his basic 1 H melee weapon ability) -2 +1 for the point he paid for. To match his Mace Skill of 11 he would have to spend another two points. 

'''Additional Skills''' -- There are many other possible Skills, such as ancient history, boat, sleight of hand, pick locks, additional languages, fast draw, etc. These are normally gained during game play by training. However, you can choose to use points from the Skill Pool so that your character starts with more Skills. Again, each skill starts at a level of -2 from the normal calculation. For instance, to gain boat Gru is tasked by his GM to use the Ride Horse formula, which means that for his 3 points he gets a boat skill (having to do with staying afloat in small craft) of 4 (3+1). He decides against this, leading to much lamenting amongst seamen he travels with later. 

To create a non-standard Skill for your character costs 3 points from your characters Skill Pool for every 1 point desired in the new skill. 

For example: Gru gets great pleasure stomping ducks. To create this skill he spends his remaining 6 points, giving him the skill 'Stomp' at a skill equal to his Kick abiity. 

You must have approval from the GM before creating any new skill